Occupational science, values and justice

ABSTRACT

In a thoughtful reflection on the emergence and purpose of occupational science, Venkatapuram poses issues for occupational therapists in relation to what it means to be a science. Citing debates within epidemiology, characterized as being a biological or social science, Venkatapuram argues that in the post-pandemic context occupational scientists must think hard about the values underpinning their enterprise, and the implications for people’s quality of life and well-being. Ultimately, he raises questions about what science is for, whether science can convince people about what to do, and how we should be striving for something better than what is now. Pointing to the overlap between the capabilities approach and what occupational science is trying to achieve, Venkatapuram concludes with the challenge: “How are you going to bridge knowledge production with transforming the world?”

KEYWORDS:

• Occupational science
• Ethics
• Social justice
• Equity
• Inequality
• Social determinants of health

Acknowledgements

This paper is a revised and updated version of the Opening Keynote Address at the inaugural World Occupational Science Conference on 18 August, 2022. Many thanks to the conference organizers for the invitation, attendees for their feedback, Dr Susan Forwell and Suzanne Huot for help with this article, and Clare Hocking for her support and longstanding efforts to bring justice into occupational science.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sridhar Venkatapuram

Sridhar Venkatapuram is an inter-disciplinary academic-practitioner in global health ethics and justice. He is an Associate Professor at King’s College London. Since the early 1990s, he has worked with WHO (HQ), NHS, Wellcome Trust, BMA, Human Rights Watch, and others. He lectures widely and publishes research on public health and global health ethics; global and health justice philosophy; capabilities approach; social determinants of health; and health equity.